Love Like Winter
by jennaaamorgan
Summary: Ellah had a life before, at least that was what she was lead to believe. She's important, not to just the mysterious boy that haunted her dreams but to everyone else as well. The only thing is, she can't remember why.
1. Chapter 1: You know who I am, Ellah

**_"I find you, alone awhile with a heavy hand _**

**_and a dark-lit smile._**

**_At a fine time to regret what I still don't know,_**

**_and I really want to make her mine."_**

* * *

**She was flying.**

Her arms extended out as she soared through the open sky.

She felt free- alive, like she was missing a piece of herself and now, she had finally found it. Of course though, it was dream. It always was. It started off the same way. Her flying- soaring, through the white, fluffy clouds. Then she flew into the night, no destination. Her eyes close for a split second and when they opened, she was gliding over the sea. A tiny, but noticeable island coming into her sights.

_Neverland. _

That's what she had discovered it was called. When she had placed her bare feet to the cool, soft sand, she was greeted by a boy. _Not a boy,_ she thought- a teenager, slightly older than her. Someone who seemed oddly familiar to her. She didn't know how, or why she knew him, just that she did and the memories that seemed to have him in them were gone, missing from her head as if they never happened. But they did. And he reassured her that. Constantly reminding her about the times they had spent together on this large island. The games, the dancing, all of it. Then something would happen. She never could remember what. Something would usually fly past her head, hitting the sand with a thud. An arrow. Released from deep in the shrugs, concealing the person that shot it. Her mouth would drop, not literally but as the shock played across her pale flesh, her eyes wide at the thought that she was nearly killed, impaled by an arrow, she couldn't help but be afraid. She'd step back, her bare foot hitting the cold water as she looked to the edge of the forest. No sign of the person there, at least, nothing that she could see. She'd breathe out, letting a light sigh released from her rough, cracked lips, the mysterious boy that she would always see in her dreams nowhere to be found. Confusion rolled over her frame and she looked down, suddenly finding the floor interesting. Another sound, a swoosh filled her ear drums and she looked up, just in time. Or at least she thought. An arrow came flying towards her and this time it didn't miss- she didn't have the time to move. You wouldn't even know that an arrow stuck, protruding from her abdomen, blood spilling from the edges, staining her white blouse. A gasp released from her lips and she cupped the wound with her shaking hands, tears forming in the brims of her eyes. Looking up, she found him standing before her, a bow in his hand, a shocked expression crossing his beautiful face. Shaking her head, she couldn't speak, blood spilling uncontrollably from her lips. The pain never came though, not until the very last-minute. And when it did hit, a blood curdling scream released from her tender lips. He stepped towards her as she fell backwards, acting as if he was about to catch her. Before she fell completely though, a sound filled her ears and she closed her eyes. One word, her name, rolling of his tongue.

"Ellah." And with that, she hit the water. The cold, death welcoming liquid pooling around her sinking frame.

This time, she didn't wake up.

* * *

"Ellah, are you with us?" The question barely managed to reach the brunette's ears.  
She was leaning over a desk, her head resting against the wooden board.  
"I'm sorry, what?" Her voice was broken, the lack of sleep causing her unable to speak properly, function properly. Though, the cold, hard concrete ground didn't help either. Her back aching from sleeping on it for days on end.  
"I asked you a question. A rather important one."  
"What could be more important than sleeping, Miss?" She didn't mean to reply so rudely, it just came out and the moment it did, her hand clasped over her mouth.  
"I'm sorry, Miss." She didn't care that there were other kids, looking upon her in the large class room. Laughter filled the room and the teacher's cries for them to quite down filled her ears. She didn't want to be here. Not with how she was at the current moment. She stood up, gathering her stuff, knowing the teacher couldn't refuse what she was about to ask.

"May I please leave, I'm not feeling to well at the moment."  
Some of it was the truth, the disgusting, sickly feeling in the pit of her stomach making everything uneasy. With a simple nod, the young girl pushed her large History textbook into her back, slinging it over her aching back, resting on her shoulder. She walked to the front of the room, ignoring the stares that dug into her back, causing shivers to run up her spine. Giving a swift- thank-you nod, Ellah made her way out to door. The moment she was behind the wooden door, she breathed out an uneasy sigh, her dark red shoes tapping against the hard floor as she sprinted to the main entrance, pushing the metal doors open with that much force, they could of flown off of their hinges. But they didn't. Instead, as she raced out the crowded school, they fell back into place, as if she had never walked through them.

Everything was a blur after that. She found herself running, a short cut through the forestry that sat on the edge of the large school becoming the quickest option to make it back home. Except it wasn't home. It wasn't nothing but a place she rested her head on for a few hours a night before she found herself at her work early in the morning. A local cafe only a few minutes from the place she had been staying at, it was perfect for her. Never too busy, never too slow. Just right for the seventeen year old. Ellah ran, running as fast as her legs could take her, never worrying about the wheeze in her chest, her asthma acting up on her as she pushed herself harder than before. In no time though, she found herself to a clearing. An opening where the sun shone down on the grass and purple-blue flowers that were spread from each corner. It was beautiful. Her brow creased. A figure sitting in the middle of it all, a knee brought to his chest as he picked around at the flowers. She walked forward cautiously. For all she knew, he could be a murderer, luring young girls to his magical field and promising them their wishes as he would slit your throat or bash your head in with a rock. Her green hues never leaving his form as she made her way closer to him, a sense of familiarity flowing over her small frame.

"Hello." Her voice was wobbly, her emotions and feelings overtaking any sense of control she had. She eyed the stranger curiously, a pair of green eyes finding hers. Taking a step back, she breathed out. His features strong- unique and she couldn't stop herself from staring at him.  
"Ellah" His voice was velvet like, causing a chill to run up the girls spine. She didn't know how he knew her name, but it frightened her.

"Who are you?"

"You know who I am."

It was then that everything went black, her mind blanking and her body falling.


	2. Chapter 2: I'm Peter, Peter Pan

**_"It doesn't really seem I'm getting through to you. __Though I see you weeping so sweetly._**

**_I think that you might have to take another taste, __a little bit of hell this time."_**

* * *

Everything was wrong. Even with her eyes closed, Ellah knew that.  
She could feel it.

She wasn't laying on her makeshift bed. It wasn't hard- digging into her back, it was soft. A comfort that she wasn't used to. She wanted to lay there forever, engulf herself in the warm, welcoming pillows and drift back into unconsciousness. But she couldn't. She had to get up, see where she was because she was certain she wasn't in the comfort of her own home. Deep green eyes flickered open. Adjusting to the unfamiliar surroundings. A groan admitted from her pale, cracked lips and she sat up. A hand instinctively went to her head, cupping her hairline as a pounding graced her head.

"Good... you're awake."

Ellah's head turned in the direction of the voice. The corners of her eyes creased as they adjusted to the figure sitting on a chair just across from her. A smirk on his face, his head resting on his palm. The girl took in the stranger's features, a perfectly plucked brow raising in confusion. "How did I get here?" Her voice was low, soft and husky. It didn't sound like her usual self but considering the lack of sleep she has had in the past week and a half, it wouldn't surprise her if she did sound different. Another wave of familiarity rolled over her small frame and she tore her gaze from the boy, looking around the room.

"I've been here before?" It wasn't really a question, more like a conformation. Bringing her knees up to her chest, she looked from corner to corner of the room. Her mind was hazy, her memories lacking certain details. It was a tree house. A place so familiar to her. She looked back to the boy, biting down on her tender lip.

"I know you."

"Of course you do, Ellah." His voice was laced with humor, his brow raising as a smirk crossed his defined features.

"But how?" She asked, resting her head against her knees, never taking her gaze away from him. She saw him get up, carefully watching his every move as he got closer and closer to her. In a rush of panic, she moved backwards, her body close to the edge of the large bed. "P-Please, don't come any closer." Her words were a stuttered mess, her voice pleading as he sat on the bed, facing her.

"I've been searching for you for quite some time now, Ellah." His voice was a murmur, his pale green eyes looking into her bright ones. He looked as though he were in deep thought. "The longer someone is away, the more they forget." He spoke softly and she couldn't help but continue to stare. "You've been gone a very long time. I almost forgot what you looked like." He raised his hand up slightly to lightly brush against her cheek and the girl flinched away from him, just about falling off the bed.  
"Don't please." She all but begged, her voice breaking. "Take me home."  
"You slept in an abandoned house, on the cold hard floor. That place isn't your home Ellah."  
"It's the only place I've got. Please." Her eyes connected with his, tears brimming the edge of them.  
"You've got here." He was wrong, she didn't know what this place was no matter how familiar it was to her. "No. I don't." She pulled away from him, standing up and stabilizing herself on the edge of the bed. Her leg's felt weak, shaky as she struggled to keep her balance. She should feel frightened, afraid at the what the mysteriously familiar boy was going to do to her. But she didn't. Not one bit. All she wanted to do was leave, go back to the place she considered home. Finish the year and a half that she had left of high school. Just be normal. Was that too much to ask? She constantly thought, her hand going to her head, nursing the not so subtle pounding in her brain. She needed to walk, distract herself from the sickly feeling that was rising in her stomach. "Please."  
"Please what, Ellah?" She peered through her fingers, watching the boy as he tilted his head to the left, smirking at her. "Take me home."  
"I'm afraid I can't do that." He breathed out, shaking his head. "I just got you back."

This time, panic rose in her body and she shuffled away from him, her gaze never leaving his until she found herself at the edge of the tree house, once she was there, she turned, climbing down the ladder as fast she would allow herself. Once she hit the floor, the young girl broke off in a sprint, wanting to get as far away from him as possible.

* * *

_There was no sound, the only exception was her labored breathing as her feet pounded against the forest floor, running as fast and as far as her legs could take her. Running for her life, is what she decided to call it. Running from the boy with the devilish smirk that cause shivers to run down her spine. She ran, dodging the branches that stuck out everywhere, ducking under then, her hands out in front of her to brace herself for what ever she may run in to. But. No matter how hard she tried to dodge everything, something tripped her and she landed face first into the ground, a groan releasing from her pale lips. Rolling over, she was huddled to her side, laying in the fetal position as the night loomed over her. When she did manage to gather herself, pull herself up she brought her knees to her chest, just sitting there on the cold, damp ground, rocking her small frame back and forth. She didn't even register that there was someone standing before her until she heard a laugh. Ellah's head snapped up and she gazed into a set of pale green eyes. Fear washed over her and in a rushed attempt, she stood up, slightly loosing her balance as she backed away from the stranger.  
"Stay away from me." She half yelled, her voice broken as she tried her best to keep away from the boy.  
"But why. This is the most fun I've had in decades." Decades? She thought, a perfectly plucked brow raising in confusion. When he advanced on her, her back hit a tree, pinning her underneath his muscular frame.  
"Get the hell off of me." She spat at him, her teeth clenching as he pressed his body to hers.  
"You've got fire..." He started, staring at her lips before finding her eyes again. "I like fire."  
His hand found her throat, taking away any chance to suck in a breath, cutting off her supply. She choked out a cry of pain, her body pushing against his as she tried to free herself from his grasp. When he finally did let go, a single stray tear slid down her porcelain flesh. Cupping her aching throat, she looked up at him, more tears threatening to spill free from her eyes.  
"Who are you?" She asked, her voice low, husky.  
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I forget to introduce myself? I'm Peter.." He spoke lowly, his eyes never leaving hers._

_"Peter Pan."_

* * *

Ellah stopped in her tracks. Her mind replaying that one memory over and over again.  
Peter Pan. The boy who never grew old. She started to slowly remember him, piece by piece. Though some memories were missing, she remembers some of them. Only a few, enough to make her worries slip away.

"Why'd you stop running, Ellah?" His voice filled the quiet, dark night and she turned on her heel, her leather boots digging into the dirt. "I quite liked watching you run for your dear life." He stood, standing on a log, another one of his trademark smirks crossing his face.  
"Peter..." She breathed out. It felt like she was only on this island a day ago. But she knew that she wasn't. She was younger, not by much, but only a mere year of two ago. She remembered how cruel he was. Always taunting her, hurting her. Making her cry to go home as much as she didn't want to show weakness. "I don't want to be here. Not again." She stood frozen in her place, her eyes never leaving his. "Peter... let me go home. Let me see my family again."  
"What family, Ellah? I watched you. I watched you get up of a morning, go to work, go to school and then take that same route through the forest back to the place that you call home. There's nothing there for you and those people that you visited every so often, they aren't your family and you know that." Peter's smile grew wider as he paced himself towards her. She didn't move back, instead, she just closed her eyes. Wishing but knowing that she would never be allowed to leave this place unless Peter let her. "You looked miserable. So I brought you here."  
"I wasn't miserable, Peter. I was tired. There's a difference." She didn't know where this new found confidence came from, but as she stood up straight, watching his every move, she imagined herself kicking him, hurting him, something to give her a chance to get away from him.  
"Ah, yes. I saw that too. Waking up in the middle of the night, screaming or crying. What's got you so frightened, love?" Ellah bit down on her lip, drawing only the tiniest bit of blood.  
"You." She replied honestly. It was clear now. The dreams- nightmares that she had, they were about him.  
"Me? Now what could I have done to keep you up at night?" He asked, his brow raising.  
"You hurt me, Peter. You taunted me, played games, broke me. I may not of been happy living where I was, but I was free of you."  
"But you see, that's not true. Because I've been watching you for years, Ellah. I was always there. I saw everything. I saw you cry even when you didn't want to, because you longed for a family to love you. I saw you sleep, so peacefully, then suddenly you'd scream or cry or something and then you'd jolt forward. I watched you starve for years, trying to find food, shelter, clothes to keep your back warm through some of the harshest winters you have seen. I watched you while you were at school, constantly ridiculed by your fellow peers, labelled a freak among other things. For a decade and a half Ellah, I watched you suffer."  
Fifteen years? Now, she was confused. "No. That's not right." She breathed out, looking up at him. "I was here, only a mere two years ago." That was what she was certain. Two years ago, she came here wanting to live forever, stay young.  
"Try nearly fifteen, love." He stepped closer to her.  
"No. That's not true." She stepped back from him, refusing to be any closer to him than necessary. "I'm seventeen, not thirty. I'm certain." Was she really? She couldn't remember much, everything was a massive blur to her. Her entire life up until the day that she found Peter sitting in the field she walked by every day.

"Oh, you are most definitely not thirty. That much is certain."  
"Then how?"  
"When you left- when I let you leave. I cast a spell, actually more like a curse. An aging curse. Within the space of those fifteen years, you only aged two years. You're physically seventeen years old. But mentally, you should be thirty."  
"Oh..." It was all that she could manage to speak out. Peter's words running through her head, over and over. Replaying as she took a grasp on what he was saying.  
"You're a very important person, Ellah. And not just to me."

* * *

**A/N:** This story is completely AU, bare the few quotes and what not that I've added in from the actual show it's self.  
If any of you are confused, here is a quick summary to straight things up.

Ellah has been to Never Land before. Fifteen years ago. She was captured by Peter and tormented, abused and taunted. This is a love story, but it's also got it's dark themes. I'm trying to keep as much of Peter's character from OUAT in this story but also give him a soft side. Basically, he's still the conniving bastard that he was in the show. He grew fond of Ellah but felt as though she was loosing her spark, therefor he sent her back to the real world [though she wasn't actually born in that world ;)] placing an aging curse on her, where she only physically aged two years within the span of fifteen. The entire time Peter has been watching her. Keeping a close eye on her until he decided she had that spark back. When he does, he takes her again and decides to torment her all over again.

That's all your getting of the plot, so I hope you enjoy it so far :)

Jenna out xx


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